Lift for Life Academy

Driver’s Education Students are Challenged to Think First!

grayadmin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:29:38 +0000

Our driver’s education classes at Lift For Life Academy are some of the last in the area to be taught, especially free of charge. As part of our dedication to ensuring the safety of our students as teenage drivers, Think First Missouri, an injury prevention program came to speak to our students.

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Before leaving on spring break, our high school students got the opportunity to be inspired and educated by Think First Missouri. They listened as Penny Lorenz spoke about her life and the accident that changed it all. At 17, she was thrown through the windshield of her friend’s car, broke her back in 3 places and was paralyzed instantly. As she talks, a cheerleading picture from her junior year is displayed behind her, and it’s impossible to ignore the chair she’s now confined to.

Penny began by talking about spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries in a matter-of-fact way. She outlined what happens to a brain when it is jolted inside a person’s skull. She explained the anatomy of a spinal cord injury. But it wasn’t until she began to speak about her personal experience and that of others that she works with that the weight of what she is talking about sinks in. You can tell it’s hitting the students as well. They settle down and barely move as she speaks.

She’s outlining the instant that a life changes. Permanently. She talks about Keller, an 18 year old boy who spent 15 days in a coma and had to relearn to walk after flipping his truck 12 times. Two of his friends died in the accident. They had all been drinking.

She talks about Warren who hitched a ride home from work with a co-worker and spent three months in a coma. He hasn’t spoken a word in 17 years and is completely dependent on his mother for care.

When Penny is finished, she introduces her counterpart for this particular talk. Chad Burton died three times on the way to the hospital after he was hit head-on by a drunk driver. He was in a coma for 39 days and doctors had to remove part of his skull for six months. When he woke up he couldn’t remember his parent’s names. Now, 20 years later, he is still mostly paralyzed down the left side of his body.

Chad talks about his struggles saying, “Whatever it takes, you count your blessings and move on.” He talks about learning to walk again. He offers to show the students how he can tie his shoes with one hand and explains that being able to do this was a big deal for him. It seems like such a small thing until he explains that he wasn’t “going back to high school in Walmart Velcro shoes.” You can tell it has hit a chord with the kids. They laugh but they also look a little thoughtful. He’s found a way to connect the possibility of this tragedy to them, to make then think about his injury in terms of their everyday lives.

Hopefully he and Penny have managed to save a few lives as a result.

An Evening of Fashion and Fanfare

grayadmin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:46:25 +0000

May 12, 2012

Toast our Student Stars and Visionary Supporters

Join us for an evening of fashion and festivity to benefit the students at Lift for Life Academy

Your Exclusive Party Package Includes:
Champagne reception
Fashion show hosted by Laura Kathleen Planck & Michael Drummond of Project Runway
Wine bar, premium beer and signature drink
A celebratory feast by Chef Kenny Hayden
Music by Just In Time

The Celebration
6:00 Celebratory champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres
7:00 New York runway-style fashion show featuring creations by Lift For Life Academy girls
7:30 Dinner stations open
Enjoy the music of Just In Time
8:30 Evening Presentation

Location
Lift For Life Academy
1731 South Broadway
St. Louis MO 63104
Complimentary Valet Parking

Cocktail Attire Suggested

For more information regarding sponsorship opportunities, to donate items for auction or
to purchase a brick in honor or memory of someone, please contact:

Ann Foster or Jennifer Bush at 314.588.0007 or afoster@liftforlife.org

Alexis Smith

grayadmin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:33:55 +0000

Alexis Smith is a smart, polite, fresh faced freshman at UMKC and not so long ago, she was walking the
halls of Lift For Life Academy. Alexis came to Lift For Life Academy as a sixth grader and stayed through
her eighth grade year. We didn’t have a high school at that time so she moved on to Career Academy, a
St. Louis City Magnet High School.

Now, five years after she left, she came back to say hello. This past semester, Alexis took Art, Science,
Psychology, English 110, and Art History. She admits that her first semester at college has been
challenging but expects to see mostly B’s on her report card. She’s proud that she’s been able to keep
up with her English papers, most of which ran about 5 to 7 pages.

Alexis says she likes living on campus, enjoys Kansas City (“It’s just like St. Louis but the fun is more
spread out”) and has made some friends. When I asked about her roommate, she laughs and says that
they got off to a rocky start but now they’re fine. She says that she learned to “deal with different
attitudes” while at Lift For Life Academy; that patience and tolerance have come in handy now that
she’s out on her own.

Looking forward to the next semester, Alexis plans to run track along with completing courses in
Spanish, English, and College Algebra. Her future plans include majoring in Economics but she isn’t quite
sure what she’d like to do with her degree. I suppose that makes her just like most freshmen. What
makes her different is that she is the first in her immediate family to go to college.

We’re proud of Alexis’ success and the part that Lift For Life Academy played to make it possible. It is
simple stories like this that keep us coming back to work with the students every day.

Donesha Buhr

grayadmin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:25:26 +0000

Think about what you were doing when you were 17. What were your hobbies? Maybe you loved
to read or were active in high school sports. Regardless of how you spent your time, most likely you
weren’t studying how to be a circus performer. Donesha Buhr, a student Lift For Life Academy is doing
just that!

Six years ago, Donesha’s mother bought her a circus class at Circus Harmony, and she liked it so much,
she never stopped learning. Circus Harmony is a non-profit social circus that teaches circus skills that
also translate into real life. Donesha has learned the basics in many circus arts, including walking the
wire, juggling, tumbling, clowning and even trapeze, but her specialty is hula hooping. Yes, hula hooping.
Of course, she isn’t just rocking one hula hoop but uses multiple hoops all over her body. Donesha
performs most Sundays at the City Museum. She is working on becoming an ‘Arch’ performer, the elite
level at Circus Harmony which offers performing opportunities throughout the area.

Donesha says that “Circus performing has taught me to become more focused, patient and to face my
fears”. She came to Lift For Life Academy in seventh grade and is currently in her junior year. She plans
on using her skills after her graduation to become a recreational therapist for autistic children. Until
then, she’ll keep shining both at Circus Harmony, and Lift For Life Academy!

Winning at Wrestling

grayadmin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:23:20 +0000

In February, Raheem Brown, a Junior at Lift For Life Academy, ‘pinned’ a spot in the State Wrestling
Finals! Competing at the District Finals at Whitfield, Raheem won his spot in the state finals for the 160
weight class.

Although he didn’t place at the state level, Raheem held his own and put up a competitive fight in both
his matches. Athletic Director Dave Shearman says the boys all had a great time at the State competition
in Columbia, MO and it was an opportunity for them to walk around and see Mizzou’s campus as well.
Raheem is focused and committed to succeeding again next year. Lift For Life Academy is proud to have
Raheem as a model for the success that can be achieved with hard work and dedication!

This is only the second season for the Lift For Life Academy’s wrestling team. We know they will
improve each year. We want to send out a special thank-you to Coaches Culp, Thompson and
Stypolkowski for coordinating, facilitating and instructing. We also send out a special thank-you to Mark
Mestemacher for his generous support. Mr. Shearman says, “Mr. Mestemacher’s support shows our
team that they are real winners in the eyes of our community!”

The future looks bright for Raheem and his teammates.

Happy Belated Chinese New Year!

grayadmin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:43:23 +0000

To celebrate the New Year, our Chinese II class went to Webster University for their Chinese

New Year Celebration. They enjoyed free food, acrobats and some unique Chinese culture

lessons. Check out the pictures to see what a great time they had! We even made it into the St.

Louis Chinese American News!

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Check it out at http://www.scanews.com/2012/02/s1119/111903/

To educate all of us on this traditional holiday in the Chinese culture, Mr. Yuang sent out this

great e-mail. Read on to learn your ‘something new’ for the day!

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is

known as “Spring Festival,” the literal translation of the Chinese name 春節 (Pinyin: Chūn Jié),

owing to the difference between Western and traditional Chinese methods for computing the

seasons. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western carnival. The festival

begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: Zhēng Yuè) in the traditional

Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year’s

Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chú Xī

(除夕) or “Eve of the Passing Year.” Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New

Year is often referred to as the “Lunar New Year”.

Chinese Year 2012 (23 January 2012 – 9 February 2013) is the Year of Dragon.

The Dragon is magnificent. In China, the Dragon is the imperial symbol, the sign of the emperor

and the male element of Yang. The Dragon is also synonymous with power and wealth.

The Dragon falls on the following years: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and

2012.

It is said that people born in the year of the Dragon carry a natural charisma and are gifted with

power and luck. They are egoistical and ambitious, almost to the point of megalomania, and

will stop at nothing to get what they want. They can be successful as actors, singers, bankers,

financiers, politicians, or pharmacists and are quite comfortable in the place of many other

professions. Some famous people born in the year of the Dragon are Bruce Lee (1940), Florence

Nightingale (1820), Paul Allen (1952), and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844).

The Chinese Zodiac (Chinese: 生肖 / Sheng xiao ) relates each Chinese calendar year to an

animal, based on a 12-year cycle. It is a widely popular system used informally in many Asian

countries, including China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Why Is the Dragon the Fifth Animal in the Chinese Zodiac?

Once upon a time, the Jade Emperor prepared to select twelve animals to be recognized as the

zodiac (生肖shēngxiāo) signs. In accordance with the decree, the first twelve animals to arrive

on the appointed day would be selected as the animals of the zodiac. The cat asked the mouse

to help it sign up, but the mouse forgot and the cat wasn’t chosen. Ever since, the cat and

mouse have been enemies. Other animals wanted to choose the ox for the first place. When

the ox walked into the hall, the mouse rode upon his back and was seen first. So then, the

mouse took the first place in the zodiac. The tiger and dragon didn’t accept the decision, but

were granted as kings of the mountain and sea in retribution. Next, the rabbit didn’t accept the

other positions and ran a race with the dragon to take the fourth spot. That’s how the dragon

became the Fifth Animal in the Chinese Zodiac.

Happy New Year of the Dragon. 龙年快乐！(Lóng nián kuàile!)

In Memory – John Mann

lift4life — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:42:10 +0000

We are saddened to share the news that Lift For Life Academy lost a dear friend, passionate advocate
and board member recently with the passing of John Mann.

John served on the board of directors at Lift For Life Academy & Gym for over 10 years, 5 of which he
served as board president.

In 2007, the Academy’s principal, Katrice Noble, and executive director, Marshall Cohen, spoke to
John about the disappointment of getting our middle school students caught up academically, only to
send them back to lower performing high schools. John led the charge to make our solution a reality:
expanding Lift For Life Academy into a high school.

John’s vision and tireless devotion to our school has had a direct impact on many families in our
community. His spirit will always be a part of this school, and its success is ultimately our best tribute to
him. He will be dearly missed.

John, who was 45 years old, was diagnosed with brain cancer nearly two years ago. Survivors include his
wife, Bonnie Mann, and two young daughters, Julia and Abigail.

St. Louis charter school hit again by metal-scavenging thieves

lift4life — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:37:14 +0000

Copper thieves have climbed on the roof top of a St. Louis charter school twice in one month to steal a commercial air conditioning unit along with copper and condensers from four other units.

The latest thefts occurred Monday night at Lift For Life Academy on South Broadway in the Kosciusko neighborhood east of Soulard. Executive Director Marshall Cohen said his school can’t continue to suffer the losses. He fears insurance cancellation and high insurance rates as a result of the replacements.

He said in early August a thief stole an air conditioning unit that cost $13,000 to replace. They learned they had been hit when the system only blew out hot air.

“It was real hot and we turned on the system and it wasn’t putting anything out,” he said.

He questioned the logic of scrap dealers in buying copper that may be stolen.

“Don’t these scrap dealers see this is brand new copper when it comes in?” he said. “They’ve got to do something.”

He said police met with business owners last week to discuss the nationwide problem. He said police are working hard to find the thieves, who may also be responsible for similar thefts from nearby businesses.

The charter school has a roster of 575 students with limited resources. While the school has insurance, Cohen said anyone who wants to donate to the non-profit school can mail a check to Lift For Life Academy, 1731 South Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63104.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_3b200744-e956-11e0-a311-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1aOSLshPJ

Soulard Chili Festival

grayadmin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:35:27 +0000

A chili festival with chili tasting, chili judging, arts and crafts, a beer and wine garden, music and entertainment, and a children’s area. It’s fun for the whole family! October 15^th, 11-5pm. For more information, click here.

Lecciones de la vida de Costa Rica- Life Lessons from Costa Rica

grayadmin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:19:18 +0000

Picture this: Climbing a volcano on horseback, zip lining through the rain forest, swimming beneath a waterfall, tasting local fauna… No, this isn’t the line up for the newest reality TV

Katherine Rueter and students get ready to zip line through the rain forest

show, it’s just some of the activities that four of Lift For Life Academy students experienced on their trip to Costa Rica.

This trip was designed to take the students out of their comfort zone and did it ever! As Atiyah Reed, a junior, stated, “This was my first time for everything. My first time on a plane and my first time out of the country. When it was time to get on the plane, it felt surreal.” The students spent six days in Costa Rica with their Spanish teacher, Katherine Rueckert. Their trip started in San Jose, took them to LaFortuna in the Arenal region, and ended near the Playa Hermosa beach in the Guanacaste Region.

While they traveled, they began to grow. As Katherine Rueckert stated “ the girls started asking about where they could go that wasn’t just for tourism, they wanted to know if they could come back here for college and they were upset that they weren’t fluid in the language.”

The students were growing in ways that they couldn’t have done in the classroom. Not only did they gain a taste for travel and adventure, they learned life lessons. Alexandra Luster, also a junior, explained that during their horseback riding trip up the side of the volcano, she fell off her horse but got up and tried again. She had learned the most important lesson for traveler’s everywhere, “Even if things don’t go as planned, you can still have fun.”

The students also experienced the world in a new and different light. As Atiyah stated “Costa Rica is so colorful it instantly makes you happy. Being able to experience new and different cultures is so exciting and after staying in Costa Rica for 6 days, you get so accustomed to it, you’ll NEVER want to leave.”

For our part, at least, we’re happy to have them back.